NCJ Number
58961
Journal
British Journal of Social Work Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 171-179
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIS STATISTICAL STUDY OF ENGLISH FAMILIES REFERRED TO A CHILD ABUSE AGENCY SHOWS A DOWNTREND IN SERIOUS INJURIES, A PREDOMINANCE OF FACIAL BRUISING, AND A LOW MEAN AGE OF THE CHILD AND MOTHER.
Abstract
THE RESULTS ARE A SUMMARY OF 85 SOCIAL WORK REPORT FORMS COMPLETED AT THE NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (NSPCC) NATIONAL ADVISORY CENTER ON THE BATTERED CHILD IN LONDON AND NSPCC SPECIAL UNITS IN MANCHESTER, NEWCASTLE, AND NORTHAMPTOM FROM THE OPENING DATE OF EACH UNIT TO DECEMBER, 1966. THE CRITERION FOR DIAGNOSIS OF NONACCIDENTAL INJURY WAS POOR EXPLANATION FOR THE INJURY. THE SCHEDULES COMPRISE 174 ITEMS, WHICH IN MANY CASES WAS TOO MANY FOR ADEQUATE COMPLETION. THE RESULTS WERE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH EARLIER STUDIES. BRUISING ACCOUNTED FOR 48 PERCENT OF INJURIES BY TYPE AND FACIAL TRAUMA FOR 41 PERCENT BY AREA. SERIOUS INJURIES ACCOUNTED FOR 19 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL, INDICATING A DOWNWARD TREND. ALTHOUGH THE AGES ACCEPTED WERE UP TO 16 YEARS, 91 PERCENT OF ALL CASES WERE UNDER FOUR YEARS, AND THE MEAN CHILD AGE WAS 20 MONTHS. MANY OF THE CHILDREN WERE FIRSTBORN (65 PERCENT) OR ONLY CHILDREN (46 PERCENT), WHICH IS SOMEWHAT HIGHER THAN OTHER BRITISH STUDIES ASSOCIATING BATTERING WITH LARGE FAMILIES. THIS STUDY ALSO REFLECTS A RELATIVELY LARGE FREQUENCY OF CHILDREN WITH MEDICAL OR BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS WHICH MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE ABUSE. THEY WERE OFTEN PREMATURE, OFTEN SEPARATED FROM THE MOTHERS FOR LONG PERIODS, AND OFTEN WITHOUT A STABLE FATHER. MOTHERS FREQUENTLY HAD MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY IN ASSOCIATION WITH PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH, AND FATHERS HAD A HIGH RATE OF JOB CHANGES. BOTH TENDED TO HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS. FEW OF THE MOTHERS HAD SOUGHT TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY OR WERE USING CONTRACEPTION AT THE TIME OF REFERRAL. MANY PARENTS HAD THEMSELVES BEEN BATTERED CHILDREN. TO EXPLAIN THE DISCREPANCIES IN FAMILY SIZE AMONG STUDIES, IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE ABUSED CHILD TENDS TO BE THE LAST IN ANY FAMILY. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (TWB)